The English Church in the Eighteenth CenturyAbbey, Charles J. (Charles John)
History
The English Church in the Eighteenth Century
Abbey, Charles J. (Charles John)
Church of England -- History -- 18th century
But there is yet one more author to be noticed whose works were still
written in the earlier vein of Deism. So far Deism had not found a
representative writer among the lower classes. The aristocracy and the
middle class had both found exponents of their views; but Deism had
penetrated into lower strata of society than these, and at length a very
fitting representative of this part of the community appeared in the
person of Thomas Chubb. Himself a working man, and to a great extent
self-educated, Chubb had had peculiar opportunities of observing the
mind of the class to which he belonged. His earlier writings were not
intended for publication, but were written for the benefit of a sort of
debating club of working men of which he was a member. He was with
difficulty persuaded to publish them, mainly through the influence of
the famous William Whiston, and henceforth became a somewhat voluminous
writer, leaving behind him at his death a number of tracts and essays,
which were published together under the title of 'Chubb's Posthumous
Works.' In his main arguments Chubb, like Morgan, follows closely in the
wake of Tindal. But his view of Deism was distinctly from the standpoint
of the working man. As Morgan had directed his attention mainly to the
Old Testament, Chubb directed his mainly to the New. Like others of his
school, he protests against being thought an enemy to Christianity. His
two works 'The True Gospel of Jesus Christ asserted,' and 'The True
Gospel of Jesus Christ vindicated,' give the best exposition of Chubb's
views. 'Our Lord Jesus Christ' he writes, 'undertook to be a reformer,
and in consequence thereof a Saviour. The true Gospel is this: (1)
Christ requires a conformity of mind and life to that eternal and
unalterable rule of action which is founded in the reason of things, and
makes that the only ground of divine acceptance, and the only and sure
way to life eternal. (2) If by violation of the law they have displeased
God, he requires repentance and reformation as the only and sure ground
of forgiveness. (3) There will be a judgment according to works. This
Gospel wrought a change which by a figure of speech is called "a new
birth"' (Sec. 13). Like Tindal, he contrasts the certainty of natural
with the uncertainty of any traditional religion. He owns 'the Christian
revelation was expedient because of the general corruption; but it was
no more than a publication of the original law of nature, and tortured
and made to speak different things.'[158] He repeats Tindal's objection
to the want of universality of revealed religion on the same grounds.
His chief attacks were, as has been said, made upon the New Testament.
He demurs to the acceptance of the Gospels as infallibly true.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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